Daily Devotional for Wednesday, May 8

What the Trials Will Accomplish

“Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you,” 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 6.

William Booth was greatly stirred by the needs of the poor of London and realized that most churches were doing nothing to reach the “undesirables”—drunkards, morphine addicts, prostitutes and the poor. He set out to reach them with what he called the 3 S’s: soup, soap and salvation. Thousands were saved among those that most churches had no interest in reaching. Booth gave his life for the cause of reaching others.

In his eighties, Booth’s work began to be hindered by blindness. He briefly lost his sight and then recovered it, but later he lost his vision permanently. His son, Bramwell, came to bring him the bad news that he would never see again. Booth replied, “God must know best, Bramwell. I have done what I could for God and the people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God and the people without my eyes.”

When we suffer afflictions and trials, we may find it easy to be discouraged or to even give up. But, God sends trials to sanctify us and to use us for His glory. Whether sickness or suffering, trials or persecutions, we must remain faithful and rest in the truth that God is doing a great work that we cannot see.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY
God never wastes our sufferings. He will do something profitable with every heartache we face.

Steven Ridings